Princeton University sued by student after attempted suicide

A student at Princeton University has filed a lawsuit against the university and seven administrators, alleging that they discriminated against him when they reacted to a suicide attempt in his dorm room, according to The Daily Princetonian.

Currently a 20-year-old sophomore who had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and type II bipolar disorder, the student filed the suit on March 25, according to The Daily Princetonian.

The complaint identifies the student using the pseudonym “W.P.” According to the report, the plaintiff requested anonymity in the case to avoid public stigma and emotional distress over the potential publication of his medical records.

“Princeton knew, or should have known, that this was against W.P.’s best interests and was likely to exacerbate his condition and cause him great emotional distress,” the complaint reads.

In the document, the student alleges that Princeton’s actions did not act to prevent the possibility of self-harm, as its actions actually heightened the risk of producing more anxiety.

On Feb. 25, 2012, the student, then an 18-year-old freshman, attempted suicide in his Princeton dorm room by ingesting 20 Trazadone tablets — a medication used to treat depression — and immediately attempted to induce vomiting. He then sought help at the university medical center, the complaint says. He was later taken to a hospital, where he stayed for several nights.

In the document, the student alleges that if he did not ‘voluntarily’ withdraw from the university, he would be involuntarily withdrawn in approximately three weeks for failing to attend the classes from which he had been banned.

The student ultimately left Princeton for two semesters to secure a pro-rated refund of his tuition and room and board, according to the complaint.

The student returned to campus at the beginning of this academic year. However, he alleges in the document that his transcript will always have “an awkward, one-year gap. He will always be a year behind his friends in classes, housing placements, and entering the workforce.”

The document also says that, as a result of the forced withdrawal, the student “will always be afraid that seeking the help of mental health professionals in a time of distress may lead to disaster.”

The lawsuit comes at a time when federal regulations have placed colleges under increased scrutiny over their responses to potentially suicidal students.

Another Ivy League school, the University of Pennsylvania created a task force on mental health in February in light of four student suicides in the current academic year.

Jonathan Swartz is a junior at Cornell University where he majors in Comparative Literature and Religious Studies. He is currently spending his junior year abroad studying Theology and Religious Studies at Robinson College, University of Cambridge. During his time in the UK, Jonathan is interning with the U.S. Agency for International Development, conducting research on MOOC offerings for use by students from developing countries. At Cornell, he is a Senior Writer for The Cornell Daily Sun, a member of The Chai Notes a Cappella group, and a leader in the pro-Israel and Jewish communities on campus. Follow him on Twitter.